FHP: Tire blowout caused crash with dump truck, patrol car

Two crashes occurred Monday morning in the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Collier County, the Florida Highway Patrol reports.

NBC-2

UPDATE:

A tire blowout appears to be the cause of two subsequent crashes that happened Monday morning on Interstate 75, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Around 6:05 a.m., a dump truck driven by Jose Calunga experienced tire tread separation, causing the westbound dump truck to veer left into a 2013 Ford Edge near mile marker 103. Both vehicles traveled into the grass median, and the dump truck drove over the Ford before they both came to a stop, an FHP report stated.

Calunga, 50, of the Naples area, was not injured, but the Ford's driver, Thomas Vietri, 54, of Fort Lauderdale, was taken to a Collier County hospital to be treated for serious injuries.

Moments later, troopers said Calunga stood in the left lane, waving his arms. An approaching Collier County Sheriff's Office patrol car driven by Adam James Dillman, 24, swerved to the right to avoid a collision. A 1993 Toyota Camry behind the patrol car also swerved, hitting the back of the patrol car and causing both vehicles to spin clockwise, reports stated.

Both the patrol car and the Toyota, driven by Marcelin Gabriel, 43, of the Naples area, came to rest in the median.

Dillman was not injured, but Gabriel was treated for minor injuries, troopers reported. All involved drivers were wearing seat belts, according to reports.

Calunga will be cited for careless driving and a pedestrian violation, reports stated.

UPDATE:

Northbound lanes of Interstate 75 have reopened after morning crashes in Collier County.

EARLIER:

I-75 northbound lanes closed after 2 crashes in Collier County

Two multi-vehicle crashes Monday morning at mile markers 103 and 104 of Interstate 75 in Collier County involving a patrol car and a dump truck have left only one northbound lane open.

One crash, which occurred about 6:20 a.m., involves a Collier County Sheriff's car, the Florida Highway Patrol reports. Traffic is moving slowly in this area, between Alligator Alley and the Golden Gate Parkway exit,NBC-2 reports.